(a) Definitions. The following words and terms shall have the following meanings in this section, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
(1) Applicant--A person seeking accreditation or approval to be an appraiser continuing education (ACE) provider.
(2) ACE course--Any education course for which continuing education credit may be granted by the Board to a license holder.
(3) ACE provider--Any person approved by the Board; or specifically exempt by the Act, Chapter 1103, Texas Occupation Code, or Board rule; that offers a course for which continuing education credit may be granted by the Board to a license holder.
(4) Distance education course--A course offered in accordance with AQB criteria in which the instructor and students are geographically separated as defined by the AQB. Distance education includes synchronous delivery, when the instructor and student interact simultaneously online; asynchronous delivery, when the instructor and student interaction is non-simultaneous; and hybrid or blended course delivery that allows for both in-person and online interaction, either synchronous or asynchronous.
(5) Severe weather--weather conditions, including but not limited to severe thunderstorms, tornados, hurricanes, snow and ice, that pose risks to life or property and require intervention by government authorities and office or school closures.
(b) Approval of ACE Providers.
(1) A person seeking to offer ACE courses must:
(2) The Board may:
(3) Exempt Providers. A unit of federal, state or local government may submit ACE course approvals without becoming an approved ACE provider.
(4) Standards for approval. To be approved by the Board to offer ACE courses, an applicant must satisfy the Board as to the applicant's ability to administer courses with competency, honesty trustworthiness and integrity. If an applicant proposes to employ another person to manage the operation of the applicant, that person must meet this standard as if that person were the applicant.
(5) Approval notice. An applicant shall not act as or represent itself to be an approved ACE provider until the applicant has received written notice of the approval from the Board.
(6) Period of initial approval. The initial approval of a CE provider is valid for two years.
(7) Disapproval.
(8) Renewal.
(c) Application for approval of ACE courses. This subsection applies to appraiser education providers seeking to offer ACE courses.
(1) For each ACE course an applicant intends to offer, the applicant must:
(2) An ACE provider may file a single application for an ACE course offered through multiple delivery methods.
(3) An ACE provider who seeks approval of a new delivery method for a currently approved ACE course must submit a new application and pay all required fees.
(4) The Board may:
(5) Standards for ACE course approval.
(6) Approval notice.
(d) Approval of currently approved ACE course for a secondary provider.
(1) If an ACE provider wants to offer an ACE course currently approved for another provider, the secondary provider must:
(2) If approved to offer the currently approved course, the secondary provider must:
(e) Approval of ACE courses currently approved by the AQB or another state appraiser regulatory agency.
(1) To obtain Board approval of an ACE course currently approved by the AQB or another state appraiser regulatory agency, an ACE provider must:
(2) If approved to offer the ACE course, the ACE provider must offer the course as approved by the AQB or other state appraiser regulatory agency, using all materials required for the course.
(3) Any course approval issued under this subsection expires the earlier of two years from the date of Board approval or the remaining term of approval granted by the AQB or other state appraiser regulatory agency.
(f) Approval of ACE courses for a 2-hour in-person one-time offering.
(1) To obtain Board approval of a 2-hour ACE course for an in-person one-time offering, an ACE provider must:
(2) Any course approved under this subsection is limited to the scheduled presentation date stated on the written notice of course approval issued by the Board.
(3) If a course approved under this subsection must be rescheduled due to circumstances beyond the provider's control, including severe weather or instructor illness, the Board may approve the revised course date if the provider:
(g) Application for approval to offer a 7-Hour National USPAP Update course.
(1) To obtain approval to offer a 7-Hour National USPAP Update course, the provider must:
(2) Approved ACE providers of the 7-Hour National USPAP Update course may include up to one additional classroom credit hour of supplemental Texas specific information. This may include topics such as the Act, Board rules, processes and procedures, enforcement issues or other topics deemed appropriate by the Board.
(h) Application for ACE course approval for a presentation by current Board members or staff. As authorized by law, current members of the Board and Board staff may teach or guest lecture as part of an approved ACE course. To obtain ACE course approval for a presentation by a Board member or staff, the provider must:
(1) file an application on the appropriate form approved by the Board, with all required documentation; and
(2) pay the fees required by §153.5 of this title.
(i) Responsibilities and Operations of ACE providers.
(1) ACE course examinations or course mechanism to demonstrate knowledge of the subject matter:
(2) Course evaluations. A provider shall provide each student enrolled in an ACE course a course evaluation form approved by the Board and a link to an online version of the evaluation form that a student may complete and submit to the provider after course completion.
(3) Course completion rosters.
(4) An ACE provider may withhold any official course completion documentation required by this subsection from a student until the student has fulfilled all financial obligations to the provider.
(5) Security and Maintenance of Records.